Sheet-like organic components, for example organic light-emitting diodes or organic photovoltaic modules, should be protected (encapsulated) against intrusion of damaging materials, for example against intrusion of oxygen and water, since otherwise uncontrolled aging or degradation of the organic materials or mixtures of materials of the organic layers can occur.
A conventional encapsulation process for sheet-like components is cavity encapsulation in which a cavity glass with a getter is adhesively bonded to the sheet-like component. This process is relatively costly and is suitable only for mechanically rigid sheet-like components.
Furthermore, in-situ thin layer encapsulation in which a thin encapsulation layer is produced directly on the sheet-like component (encapsulation) and optionally also on the substrate beneath the component (barrier) is also customary for sheet-like components. Encapsulation has to be carried out in-situ and thereby extends the process flow and increases the manufacturing depth on the component.
Furthermore, lamination of a sheet-like component with barrier films is also customary. Here, sheet-like barrier films are adhesively bonded on and under the sheet-like component, usually with formation of a protective periphery, by adhesively bonding the lower barrier film directly on the upper barrier film. The barrier films are, for example, polymer films which are provided with a barrier layer composed of, for example, SiO2, SiN or metal. However, the intrusion of water and oxygen at the edges of the barrier films is limited merely by the lamination adhesive. However, adhesives known hitherto have only a limited impermeability in respect of water and oxygen. As a result, there is a weak point in the barrier action of the laminated component at the edge of the laminated sheet-like component, and this can lead to leakage at the edge.